Weegee [Arthur Fellig]

Weegee had a penchant for photographing morbid scenes. Drink Coca-Cola is a darkly humorous image that plays on his reputation for photographing death. This ambiguous image leaves the viewer unsure whether the subject is sleeping, unconscious, or possibly dead. The title ironically suggests that if the subject drank Coca-Cola instead of alcohol, he might not be in the situation that we find him in.

Part of what makes Weegee’s images such enduring icons of street photography are the contradictions he captures and forces viewers to confront. The Critic is an illustration of privilege in the midst of poverty. Weegee creates a dialogue of extremes within his photographs, sharp contrasts between haves and have-nots. Two women enter the Metropolitan Opera - their bright white furs are illuminated by Weegee’s bare bulb flash, contrasting sharply with an onlooker’s dark, worn-out jacket.